If you are going to make wise decisions about something that you read, you must be able to notice when a writer is trying to influence you. You may choose to think the way the writer is trying to influence you.
You may choose to think the way the writer wants you to or you may not. However, you cannot make this decision wisely unless you are able to recognize some of the most common propaganda techniques.
Repetition
Repetition is the technique used in the following political ad:
"For better government, VOTE BELL
For a better community, VOTE BELL
For a better future, VOTE BELL
RING IN BETTER TIMES – PAT BELL FOR MAYOR"
You probably noticed that the phrase Vote Bell appears three times. The writer hopes that the repetition will make you remember the candidate's name and vote for Pat Bell on election day. Notice that you are not told Pat Bell's qualifications or plans for the job. When you come across repetition, remember that you need to know more than a name or phrase before you can decide what course of action to take.
Bandwagon
Another propaganda technique is called bandwagon, a term that had a political beginning. Parades for candidates were often led by a loud band of musicians on a large horse-drawn wagon. People who wanted to show their support for the candidate would climb on the bandwagon: their presence would often influence others to join them.
Today bandwagon propaganda tries to influence you to buy or support something by getting you to think that many other people are buying or supporting it. Read the following advertisement to see how a writer has used the bandwagon approach:
"Thousands of people all across the country have switched to DAZZLE Thoothpaste.
Shouldn’t you switch too?"
The writer hopes that you will want to join thousands of others who have switched to Dazzle. But before you run out to buy a tube, you should ask yourself two questions: (1) Is the writer being truthful in saying that thousands of people have switched to Dazzle? You can’t be sure because the writer offers you no evidence to support this claim. (2) Even if the writer’s claim is true, does it mean that Dazzle is the best toothpaste for you? Just knowing that other people have switched to Dazzle doesn’t mean that you should. You would need to know more about it first.
Testimonial
When using the testimonial technique to get you to think and act in a particular way, the writer quotes a favourable statement that someone, very often a famous person, has made. Often a picture of that person is shown. For example, read the following ad:
"Here’s what Carlos Ortiz, star of stage and screen,
has to say about his Breeze bicycle:
“After a hard day in the studio, I find that I can
relax best on my Breeze Bike. I’ve owned others
but Breeze is the best.”"
Breeze bicycles may be good, but the fact that Carlos Ortiz, or any other famous person, likes them does not necessarily mean that you should. Your decision to buy a product should be influenced by the quality of the product and not by the testimony of a famous person.
Transfer
A similar propaganda technique is called transfer. Try to decide how the following transfer ad is different from a testimonial:
The man and woman above are models chosen for their appearance and dressed to look wealthy and athletic. Notice that they don’t say anything about their product, as they would in a testimonial. The writer hopes that your admiration for the attractive couple will transfer to the Panther IV.
Although you will often see models in transfer ads, sometimes you will recognize a famous person in one. Again, the person is pictured but makes no statements about the product. The picture of someone whom the writer of the ad hopes you will admire is no reason to think that the product is a good buy; you need more information to decide.
Emotional words
Sometimes writers try to influence you to be for or against something by using the emotional words technique. Emotional words are words that writers hope will appeal to your feelings and make you feel strongly about something. In an ad for Tempty Margarine the writer might use words such as mouth watering, delicate, and creamy to describe the flavor and texture. Would these words tempt you to buy Tempty?
"TEMPTY Margarine is the most mouth-watering, taste tempting margarine available today. You’ll love its soft, creamy texture and deliciously delicate flavor. So unbelievably good, yet so unbelievably inexpensive – that’s TEMPTY Margarine."
In the ad below, the writer has used an unfavorable description to influence you to help with a community project.
"Have you been to the Clare River recently? Have you seen the dirty brown water? Have you noticed the garbage that litters the surface? Have you smelled the foul odor of the dying waterway? If you care about this once-sparking river, join the movement to Clean Up the Clare. It’s your river too."
By selecting words that make pollution seem very unpleasant, the writer hopes to convince people that they must work to save the river. This advertisement asks for help instead of trying to sell a product.
Being aware of propaganda
You have learned that much of the advertising that you read contains propaganda. Do not think, however, that all propaganda is misleading. Most advertising is not intended to deceive you, and many ads provide a valuable service by bringing to your attention needed products or services. Ads are also used to tell you about helpful organizations and local charitable groups. Other ads might ask you to help prevent forest fires or air pollution.
Propaganda techniques are found not anly in advertising but also in newspaper and magazine articles by writers who want to persuade you to support particular ideas. For example, you might read a newspaper article about plans to tear down a public skating rink and construct apartments on the land. If the article contains only favorable statements, you might decide that it was written more to persuade than to inform.
Learning to recognize propaganda can help you to become a more critical reader. When you are aware of the techniques that are used in propaganda, you can more easily decide if you wish to be influenced by it.
